Drip-trough for refrigerators



I(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- C. W. HINRIGHS.

DRIP TROUGH POR REPRIGERATORS.

Patented Sept. 11,

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C. W. HINRICHS. DRIP TROUGH POB. RBPRIGERATORS.

No. 525,901. Patented Sept. 11, 1894.

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eff'- construct the said drip shelves, drip troughs UNiTnn STATES I' ATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN WM. I-IINRICHS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DRlP-TROUGH FOR REFRIGERATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,901, dated September 11, 1894.

Application filed January 15 1894.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN WM. HIN- RIGHS, of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drip-Pans for Refrigerators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved drip-pan for refrigerators with a series of drip shelves, a drip trough, and valves or adjustably hinged wings, so arranged and combined as to carry o the waste Water from the interior of the said refrigerator.

A further object of my invention is to so and valves that they will occupy a limited or compact space within the interior of said refrigerator.

To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain new and novel features of construction that will be hereinafter set forth, described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will now proceed to describe it in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a cross-sectional view of a section of a refrigerator, this view being taken on the line ocof Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my improvement within a refrigerator,parts of said improvement being broken away to more clearly illustrate the device. Fig'. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my invention, taken on the line z-z of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the adj ustably hinged wings or valves used in 'my improved device, and attached to a portion of the frame work of a refrigerator.

Similar figures refer to similar parts thro ughout the several views.

The numerals I and 2 designate the side walls and 3 the end walls of a refrigerator, which may be constructed in the usual manner.

The main frame work of my improved device is composed of three joists 4, 5 and 6 running longitudinally in the interior of a re. frigerator, and secured at their ends by crossjoists 7. The joists -l and 5 lie immediately against or near the side walls ofthe refriger- Serial No. 496,874. (No model.)

ator, the joist 6 being at a centralpoint between said joists 4f and 5, the end joists 7 being secured to the end-walls of the said refrigerator. Drip shelves 8 and 9 are secured respectively on the upper sides of the sidejoists 4 and 5. The upper sides of these drip shelves 8 and 9 are slightly inclined, said inclination being toward the center of the refrigerator. In a like manner, to the endjoists 7, are secured drip shelves 10, the upper sides of which are inclined toward the center. A central drip shelf ll is secured to the top of the central joist 6, this shelf 11 being considerably wider than the drip shelves 8 and 9, its upper side being inclined in either direction, one inclination being toward the drip shelf 8 and the other toward the drip shelf 9. Arectangular'frame l2 is secured to and lits immediately upon the drip shelves 8, 9 and 10, and is also secured to the side and end-walls of the refrigerator. The metallic lining 13 of the refrigerator, which, in most instances is sheet metal, extends from the inner Walls of said refrigerator over the upper and inner edges of this rectangular frame I2, from thence over the inclination of the drip shelves 8, 9 and 10, and terminates slightly below the inner edges of said drip shelves 8, 9 and 10. In a like manner, the drip shelf 1I is covered with a metallic lining, previously mentioned.

The ice rack I4, composed of a series of slats 15 running lengthwise in the refrigerator and held together by means of cross-bars 15, lies immediately upon the rectangular frame hereinbefore mentioned. This ice rack is made of two or more sections to facilitate handling, removing, &c.'

Pivoted to the end-joists 7 of my device are four valves or wings, numbered respectively 16, 17, 18 and 19. These valves or Wings are rectangular in form, and are covered on their upper and inner sides with material preferably the same as the lining of the interior of the refrigerator. On the lower sides of these wings are secured metal straps, or bearing-plates 20, a portion of said wings or valves being cut away for the introduction of the bearing 2l of the plate 20. Secured to the inner sides of the end-joists 7 are metal plates 22, having an extension or lug 23 cast integral therewith. When these valves or IOO wings are in position, the bearing 21, previously referred to, engages this lug 23, thus forming a suitable pivot. Near each end of these wings or valves is secured one wing 24 of a clip 25. The other wing 26 of said clip, being considerably longer than the wing 24, is provided with a series of holes 27 and a handle or thumb-piece28,the object of these holes 27 being to engage pins 29, which project from the inner faces of the joists 4, and 6. Inclined troughs 30, composed of. doors 31 and side-walls 32, occupy a portion of the space between the joists 4, 5 and 6. These inclined troughs 30 are secured at each end to the end-joists 7. The side-walls 32-of these inclined troughs have their tops beveled inwardly, and are lined with sheet metal similar to the lining previously referred to. Near the lower end of these inclined troughs are waste tubes or pipes 33, which carry off the waste water.

To the under side of the end-joists 7 is secured a stop 34:. Retaining blocks 35, the ends of which are beveled to t the space made bycuttingawaya portion of the before mentioned stop 34, serve to retain and hold up the ends of theinclined troughs 30. These retaining blocks 35 are removable.

When ice is placed upon the ice-rack 14, the water melting from said ice drops to the drip shelves 8, 9, 10 and 11; thence down the inclined plane of said drip shelves to the inclined faces of the pivoted wings or valves 16, 17, 18 and 19; thence to the inclined troughs 30, there to be discharged through the pipes 33. It will thus be seen that the water in passing olf cannot possibly reach any of the exposed portion of the wood work of the refrigerator, thereby preventing injurious results.

If it is desired to make the lower portion air tight, the wings 2G of the hinges 25 are disengaged from the pins 29, and the valves partially rotated thus accomplishing the desired result.

By my improved construction, the cleaning of the interior of a refrigerator is greatly facilitated; the inclined troughs 30 can be easily removed and the wings or valves 16, 17, 18 and 19 thrown into a position, whereby they may be easily cleaned. These wings 16, 17, 18 and 19 can be so turned as to allow the drip shelves 8,9 and 10 to be cleaned without necessitating the removal of the ice-rack.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a refrigerator, a rectangular framework,drip-shelVes mounted upon said framework in approximately horizontal planes, metal plates covering said drip-shelves and extending below the plane thereof, valves pivotally mounted beneath said drip-shelves and provided with clips whereby they may be manipulated and secured in stationary positions, metal plates mounted upon the said valves and a metal lined inclined trough locatedbeneath the lower edges of the said valve and adapted to receive the drip therefrom in combination with an ice-rack mounted above said drip-shelves, as set forth.

2. In a refrigerator, a rectangular frame work composed of joists 4, 5, 6 and 7 carrying metallic covered drip shelves 8, 9, 10 and 11, adjustable wings or valves 1G, 17, 18 and 19, clips 25 secured to said valves or wings and metallic lined, and inclined drip troughs removably mounted in the before mentioned frame work,substantially as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, CHRISTIAN WM. I'IINRICIVIS. lVitnesses:

ALBERT SEEPEL,

HARRY C. SGHAFER. 

